Sarah Stradling felt she paid the price for a fast start at the Flora London Marathon, but the Colchester Harriers star still ran a personal best time to finish as eighth British woman over the finish line.

The 33-year-old from Shrub End finished in two hours 49 minutes 53 seconds and was disappointed to miss her target time of between 2h 45m and 2h 46m, but was pleased to have set a new best over the distance as she continues to push for an England Marathon call-up.

She ran with a sore foot that hindered her progress and the unexpectedly hot conditions on the day made things tough for fast times.

And the Harriers star’s bid was also not helped by a decision by organisers to have championship club runners grouped in with the massed start rather than allow them to begin alongside the elite international stars as they have in past years.

“It was tough,” said Stradling.

“I went off too quickly and my legs seized up in the last three miles. It meant I cramped up, but it was still a PB time so I should not be too hard and I think I did do well.

“I was eighth British woman home and 17th overall as there were ten elite women and I was seventh from the massed start.

“It was a shame we couldn’t go off with the elite runners, though, as that is what we thought would happen.

“However, when we got there they said ‘no’.

“If we could have gone with the elite runners I may have stuck to my original plan.

“I would have been left behind by them as they went off at an amazing pace, but I could have been more disciplined in the early race and had a stronger finish.

“Being with the massed start meant I wasn’t sure of my footing at the start as I was trying not to get knocked over by all the legs flying about and couldn’t get my pace right and get comfortable.

“I went through the first mile in six minutes and it was the same for the second and I knew then that I had been a bit naughty and would pay the price later.

“But it is a big learning curve for the next one.

“I wanted an England spot, but I would have had to have run a two hour 45 or 46 for that.

“I’m still ranked tenth, though, and if people ahead of me don’t want to do it then maybe I will still get a call.”